diff --git a/bookwyrm/settings.py b/bookwyrm/settings.py
index fb5488e7a..b679e2d44 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/settings.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/settings.py
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ LOCALE_PATHS = [
     os.path.join(BASE_DIR, "locale"),
 ]
 
+DEFAULT_AUTO_FIELD = "django.db.models.AutoField"
+
 # Quick-start development settings - unsuitable for production
 # See https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/2.0/howto/deployment/checklist/
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_base_model.py b/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_base_model.py
index 5a8350b2e..75d0444c1 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_base_model.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/models/test_base_model.py
@@ -26,20 +26,23 @@ class BaseModel(TestCase):
                 outbox="https://example.com/users/rat/outbox",
             )
 
+        class BookWyrmTestModel(base_model.BookWyrmModel):
+            """just making it not abstract"""
+
+        self.test_model = BookWyrmTestModel()
+
     def test_remote_id(self):
         """these should be generated"""
-        instance = base_model.BookWyrmModel()
-        instance.id = 1
-        expected = instance.get_remote_id()
-        self.assertEqual(expected, "https://%s/bookwyrmmodel/1" % DOMAIN)
+        self.test_model.id = 1
+        expected = self.test_model.get_remote_id()
+        self.assertEqual(expected, "https://%s/bookwyrmtestmodel/1" % DOMAIN)
 
     def test_remote_id_with_user(self):
         """format of remote id when there's a user object"""
-        instance = base_model.BookWyrmModel()
-        instance.user = self.local_user
-        instance.id = 1
-        expected = instance.get_remote_id()
-        self.assertEqual(expected, "https://%s/user/mouse/bookwyrmmodel/1" % DOMAIN)
+        self.test_model.user = self.local_user
+        self.test_model.id = 1
+        expected = self.test_model.get_remote_id()
+        self.assertEqual(expected, "https://%s/user/mouse/bookwyrmtestmodel/1" % DOMAIN)
 
     def test_set_remote_id(self):
         """this function sets remote ids after creation"""
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 665e32535..289d6fe68 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 celery==4.4.2
-Django==3.1.8
+Django==3.2.0
 django-model-utils==4.0.0
 environs==7.2.0
 flower==0.9.4